Button



March 29, 1932. H, EA CQWDREY 1,851,618

BUTTON Filed Nov. 50, 1951 IWI. M

Patented Mar. r29, '1932 UNTED STATES PATENTg ori-ICE HENRY E. COWDREY, F FITCHBURG, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 C. I-I. COWDREY MACHINE WORKS, OF FITCHBURG, MASSACHUSETTS, A MASSACHUSETTS TRUST BUTTON Application filed November 30, 1931. Serial No. 578,028.`

This invention relates to a button for personal wear or the like.

The principal objects of the invention are to'provide a button having a metal back and an ornamental front consisting of asheet of pyroxylin or other material which can be colored or ornamented as may be desired; to provide means by which the pyroXylin sheet will be held in position by the metal back, so that the button will consist of two pieces only and also to provide a neat and attractive product.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which l Fig. 1 is a plan view of a button constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a diametrical sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 on enlarged scale showing the button assembled but not completed, and

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the completed button. j

The main part or back of the button consists of a piece of metal 10 formed of a light aluminum or other alloy of such a nature as to be capable of being worked. This is in the form of a disc having a rim 11 provided with vertical inner surfaces or rather a cylindrical one. This surface might taper a little to make it smaller at the outside surface of the button, if desired, but that is not necessary with this invention. The front surface 12 of this rim is rounded over to form a neat surface. j

In the front side of this back 10 is an annular recess 13, flat on the bottom, preferably, and bounded on the outside by this inner cylindrical surface of the rim 11 which has been referred to. At the center is an integral annulus 14, preferably conical on its inner surface 15, and having a fiat bottom 16 provided with perforations 17 all the way --through. As originally produced the'annulus 14 on the outside is cylindrical at 18 to allow the introduction of an insert. f This, as so far described, is shown in Fig. 2,.

Now an annular sheet 20 of pyroxylin, celluloid, or the like, just fitting the inner wall of the rim 11, is introduced. Its outside edge is cylindrical, and its inner wall 21 is slightly conical, preferably. This annular non-metallic member is put in position, as shown in Fig. 2 and entirely fills the bottom of the annular recess 13. Now the annulus 14 is spun or swedged over to bring its outer surfaces into contact all around with the surface 21 to smooth up and round off its edges and finish the button'to provide the construction illustrated in Fig. 3. This spinning over of this inner annulus to iit the conical surface 21 positively and effectively holds the annular sheet 20 in position. There is no need of holding it at the circumference, although that can be done if desired, especially in cases where warping might take place. The completed button is light and neat and the sheet 20 can be formed in any color and of any material desired and have any amount of ornamentation. In this way with a back of metal formed in quantities, all just alike, the appearance of the buttons canbe varied within wide limits. There is no danger of the two pieces coming apart, and the construction is very light and veryl durable.

Although I have illustrated and described only one form of the invention I am aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claim. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the exact form shown, but what I do claim is As an article of manufacture, a button comprising a back formed of soft light metal and having a circumferential rim pro-l f jecting from the front side, the inner surface ofthe rimbeing cylindrical and provided with a central annular rib projecting from the back to a height less than that of the rim and extending outwardly at the front surface, thread holes through the back inside of said rib, and an annular flat sheet of pyroxylin filling the space between the rib and the rim, of a material thickness nearly equal to that of the rib, and having a cylin- Y drical outer surface abutting against the cylindrical inner surface of the rim, and an outwardly flaring conical inner surface, said rib ttng. the said conical surface and projecting beyond it to hold: the non-metallic sheet in position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto ax'ed' my! signature.

, i HENRY E.;COWDREY. 

